surround

1 of 2

verb

sur·​round sə-ˈrau̇nd 

surrounded; surrounding; surrounds

transitive verb

1

a(1)

: to enclose on all sides : envelop

the crowd surrounded her

(2)

: to enclose so as to cut off communication or retreat : invest entry 2

b

: to form or be a member of the entourage of

flatterers who surround the king

c

: to constitute part of the environment of

surrounded by poverty

d

: to extend around the margin or edge of : encircle

a wall surrounds the old city

2

: to cause to be surrounded by something

surrounded himself with friends

surround

2 of 2

noun

: something (such as a border or ambient environment) that surrounds

… from urban centre to rural surround.

—Emrys Jones

Synonyms of surround

Verb

• encircle
• encompass
• circle
• embrace
• ring

Noun

• surroundings
• environment
• atmosphere
• environs
• climate
• context

Examples of surround in a Sentence

Verb

A wall surrounds the old city.

They had the suspect surrounded.

She was suddenly surrounded by a crowd of excited fans.

There's a lot of uncertainty surrounding the decision.

His departure was surrounded by secrecy.

Noun

the vast, featureless surround of the desert was strangely appealing to him

Recent Examples on the Web

Verb

Their appearance added to the celebrity atmosphere surrounding the Las Vegas stop, which has quickly become one of Formula 1’s most entertainment-forward weekends since debuting in 2023. —Jessica Lynch, Billboard, 23 Nov. 2025

While history often repeats itself, Edwards warned recently that the circumstances surrounding this cycle’s inevitable collapse are fundamentally different, potentially leading to a deeper and more painful reckoning for the economy and the average investor. —Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 23 Nov. 2025

Noun

This Sonos soundbar teams up with Dolby Atmos for sound that makes your living room feel like a movie theater, with crisp highs, deep lows, and immersive surround effects. —PC Magazine, 20 Nov. 2025

On the outside, Ringbrothers added lots of carbon, including the rear tail panel, rear diffuser, rear quarter panels, hood, grille surround, and in the interior. —Erik Shilling, Robb Report, 5 Nov. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Verb

Middle English, to flood, inundate, from Anglo-French surunder, from Late Latin superundare, to overflow, from Latin super- + unda wave; influenced in meaning by round entry 5 — more at water

First Known Use

Verb

circa 1616, in the meaning defined at sense 1a(1)

Noun

1893, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing surround

• surround oneself with (someone or something)
• surround sound

Rhymes for surround

• abound
• aground
• around
• astound
• background
• campground
• clothbound
• confound
• earthbound
• eastbound
• expound
• fairground

Kids Definition

surround

1 of 2 verb

sur·​round sə-ˈrau̇nd 

: to enclose on all sides : encircle

surround

2 of 2 noun

: something (as a border) that surrounds